The rail deal on Malaysia’s aspirations

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will rely heavily on its rail network to drive the nation’s aspirations, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).

He said rail transportation played a major role in all developed nations, and Malaysia was aiming for a robust transportation mix.

“China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which encompasses South-East Asia, Central Asia and nations all the way to Europe, is already drawing enormous attention in the region and abroad.“This connectivity and cooperation between those countries will

be a major step forward in terms of trade, cultural and scientific exchanges in the new century, ” he said in his officiating remarks at the virtual second Symposium on Railway Infrastructure & Engineering (2nd-RIE) jointly organised by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Faculty of Engineering and the Malaysia Rail industry Corporation (Maric).

Dr Wee said the government was embarking on this new initiative and is expanding its rail network across the country.Phase One of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line, from Sungai Buloh to Semantan, began operations on

Dec 16,2016. The entire line, from Sungai Buloh to Kajang, became operational on July 17,2017.

“This is testament of the nation’s commitment to become a developed nation. This 51km track runs through 31 stations serving a population of 1.2 million people in the region, ” he said.

Realising the importance of a rail network especially in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area, Dr Wee said the government has further allocated funds for the construction of the second MRT line, which is under construction with a distance of 52km.

“Another example of the government’s commitment on expanding the rail network in the country is the construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) with a distance of 664km.“The construction cost is estimated at US$12.5bil (RM50.5bil) connecting the East Coast Economic Region states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, ” he added.

The minister said this would potentially alter key international trade routes in the process.

“This corridor is in line with China’s Belt and Road ambition connecting the Middle East and Europe by sea routes.

“It is estimated that the ECRL will transport around 5.4 million passengers and carry 53 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2030, with a transportation ratio of 30% passengers and 70% cargo, ” he said.

The one-day 2nd-RIE symposium was aimed at bringing together professionals from the railway industry, such as operators, researchers and academics to share and promote research activities to support the new initiatives of expanding the rail network in Malaysia and China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the region. — Bernama